Misdirected Energy
by ExplodingWeekend
Summary: Lily finds the Cafe Patronus when she is lost one day. What she doesn't know is that she'll find adventure and mystery, and maybe even love. Light multi-chapter fic, James/Lily AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Misdirected Energy (comes from an Emma Goldman quote "Crime is naught but misdirected energy.")

**Pairings:** The pairings are not the major part of this. I'm going to be focusing mainly on details and plot. Otherwise, there will be James/Lily, light Remus/Sirius bromance, one-sided Severus/Lily and Lily/Remus, and maybe later on some Longbottom love.

**Warnings: **Although I'm planning for this to be a very light story, there might be some violence later on. I'm putting the rating at T because I'm paranoid.

**A/N:** So this was the result of a combination of things I don't really have the space to mention. Just know that this is being written purely for fun and to try my hand at something different.

I haven't gotten this fic planned out much, so I need anyone who has a good idea to put it in either a PM or review. For example, I still don't know if this AU is going to have magic or no magic. That's kind of important, wouldn't you say? Please offer up any ideas you may have!

So, yeah. Enjoy!

**Misdirected Energy**

**Chapter One**

Lily would not admit it. She refused to. She was a proud woman, a smart woman. The kind of woman who did not get lost.

As she turned another corner and noted with alarm that the sun was creeping rapidly past the point it had been at noon, a flash of panic swept over her. Nothing seemed familiar, and the number of ramshackle housing developments was increasing. She was a long way from her safe, posh neighborhood just outside the city. Who could have predicted that a day out with friends would end with her wandering aimlessly downtown… _way_ downtown.

Steeling her nerves, Lily resolved to ask the next (safe-looking) person she saw for directions. Unfortunately, the streets were relatively empty, and the people she did pass were not the business suit-clad men or grandmothers with fluffy dogs she was used to.

A flashing light caught her eye and she paused to see what it was. A bright neon sign with orange and green tubules of light spelled out "Café Patronus". The windows were tinted but not boarded up like so many other shops she had seen, and the door was still on both its hinges. It looked safe enough to stop and ask for directions. She stepped up to the door and knocked.

Less than a second later, the door creaked open loudly. Lily jumped back and peered into the dimly lit building. It reeked faintly of mildew and old coffee.

"Hello?" She called. A young man, of stocky build, opened the door wider and ushered her in. His sandy hair stuck out in frizzy tufts and his two front teeth poked out from under a greasy lip.

"Right this way," he squeaked. Actually squeaked. Everything about him reminded Lily of a rat.

"Uh… thanks," she said hesitantly. "But really, I just need some directions. I'm a little lost—"

She stopped abruptly. She was walking into a strange café and the only person she had met so far didn't exactly scream "friendly".

"Uh, I mean, my friends are waiting for me down the street, and we need to know how to get back uptown."

The man smiled crookedly, revealing more yellowed teeth. "Yeah, I guess James can help you."

Lily followed the ratty man down a short hallway and into a room on the left. Unlike the hallway, it was brightly lit, and it looked very much like the coffee shop Lily went to in her neighborhood, with a few minor differences. Two young men, both with dark hair, occupied the room. One of them was sitting behind a counter, studying a switchblade carefully. The other was leaning against a doorframe that probably led to a back room. He had his eyes closed but there was a grin on his face.

The man who was sitting down looked up when they walked in. When his eyes fell on Lily, his whole demeanor lit up.

"Alright, Wormy, you got us a customer!" the blade disappeared so fast Lily wasn't sure where it had gone, and suddenly the man was striding across the creaky floorboards with his hand outstretched. "What can we do for you, miss? Tea? Coffee? We've got a nice batch of scones made up just this morning!"

Lily tentatively shook his hand. "Uh, no thanks, I just need some directions."

"She's lost," the ratty man chimed in.

The man studied her for a bit, and she stared boldly back at him. He was very nice-looking, she had to admit. Tall, broad shoulders, but lean. Dark hair and eyes, hidden behind square glasses. Nothing overtly suspicious about him, unlike the ratty guy.

Then again, she reminded herself, this guy had a knife somewhere on his person.

"Did you come with someone?" He asked suddenly, peeking around her as if expecting someone to jump out suddenly.

"Uh, yeah," she lied. "My friends are down the road a bit waiting for me to come back. With the directions."

The man nodded as if he had already known that. Lily felt a little offended at his smugness.

"Okay, directions, sure. Where to?"

"Uptown."

"Not in Kansas anymore, eh, Dorothy?"

A barking laugh came from the man in the doorway. He had the same dark hair as James, but his eyes were a softer color, even if they held the same amount of mischief. He was dressed in a long dark trench coat. Lily decided that if she were to be wary of anyone, it would have to be him.

A lightbulb went off in her head somewhere and a chill went through her spine. Rundown café, ratty guy, switchblade, trench coat.

"Oh my god, is this like a gang?"

All three men looked at her in surprise, but their reactions varied after that. The trench coat guy let out another barking laugh, the ratty guy inched a little farther away from her, but the knife guy just grinned. He looked a little too excited.

"Really?" He asked. "Do we really look like a gang to you?"

Lily looked around at the bare walls and sparse furnishings. Someone had obviously tried to make it friendly and inviting—there were floral tablecloths and candlesticks and everything—and it almost seemed warm and cozy, not intimidating. Plus as weird as these guys were, they didn't seem very dangerous.

"No offense, but your hideouts not very good. And you're only three people."

"Four," the knife guy said proudly, holding up the corresponding number of fingers. "Moony's in the back."

"Who?" Lily felt her stomach turn. Another weird guy was all she needed.

Trench coat guy looked up at her and grinned. "I'll go get him!"

He ran to the back room and called "Moony!" once before turning back and holding one finger up.

"One moment," he said before disappearing into the back room.

Lily looked back at the knife guy. "All I need is directions, really. I don't even know you guys."

Knife guy blinked at her in surprise. "Oh, I forgot. Um, okay, introductions. I'm James. That's Peter." He pointed to the ratty guy then motioned to the back room. "Sirius was the guy who just ran back there to get Remus. And you are…?"

Lily sighed. She really shouldn't give out her name to strangers, but maybe her first name wouldn't hurt. "Lily."

Knife guy—James, she corrected herself—looked pleased. "That's a really pretty name. Lily." He said, as if trying it out. "Awesome!"

"Er, thanks. Now… I really should be getting those directions…" She was still a little embarrassed about what she had said earlier, even if James seemed to have already forgotten about it.

"Yeah, Moony's coming right now." At Lily's confused expression, he added, "That's what we call Remus for… various reasons. Oh, and when you see him can you not say anything about… well…" He made a vague gesture towards his face and Lily was about to ask what that meant when she heard the shuffling of feet coming from the back room and two figures emerged. One of them was trench coat guy—Sirius—and the other was a young man in raggedy clothes. He was looking at Sirius with a frustrated expression.

"I was right in the middle of a good book, Sirius, what is this all about?" He shook his head a little and turned to face the room. When he saw Lily, he smiled kindly, and Lily suddenly knew who was responsible for the warm decorations. "Hello, who is this?"

He stepped a little further into the light and Lily stifled a gasp. The man, Remus she assumed, still had the kind smile on his face, but that wasn't all. Dozens of scars littered his face, some of them deeper than others. They seemed old—most were simply a silvery sheen across a cheekbone or eyebrow—but there were so many.

He walked to where Lily stood with James and held out his hand. As Lily reached to take it, she noted that there were small scars running down his hand and cut into his fingers as well. When she met his eyes, she saw a small furrow of brows but his features were still kind, even if his dark brown eyes held just a little hint of sorrow.

"I'm Remus Lupin, it's a pleasure to meet you. I hope these men haven't been too callous; sometimes I find they are utterly hopeless in situations that require patience." He shook his head at James, who had begun to pout. "They're very nice, mind you, once you get to know them."

Lily smiled back at him. "I'm Lily. Nice to meet you too." She realized she was still grasping his hand and pulled away quickly.

James cleared his throat a little too loudly and everyone looked at him, though Lily thought she saw Remus and Sirius roll their eyes at each other. "Remus, this young lady needs some directions. Thought you could help her since, you know, you're smart and stuff."

Remus hid a smile behind his hand. "Thank you for noticing, James. I'm glad you've finally noticed that my talents stretch beyond pastry making."

Sirius frowned and moved closer to him. "Oh, but Remus, your scones are wonderful. It would be a shame to ever let you out of the kitchen, even if all you do in there is read."

Remus laughed and Lily thought she saw the hints of a blush. "Thank you Sirius." He patted the man's head like one would to a dog and turned to Lily. "Now, where did you say you were from?"

Lily, who had been watching the exchange curiously, shook her head. "I didn't. Um, Spinner's End. Just outside the city?"

The three men looked at her, their eyebrows raised in surprise. "Wow," Sirius piped up. "You are a little far from Kansas."

"Yeah, I got lost after my friends got on the wrong bus."

She realized her mistake a little too late. James was already narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"So… you're friends aren't really waiting for you?"

Remus swatted at his arm. "Give the poor thing a break. She was lost in a bad part of town." He turned to Lily and smiled. "I would have done the same thing. How about some tea while I get you those directions?"

Lily found herself liking Remus more and more. "That sounds great."

Peter, who had been keeping his distance up until that point, led her to a table. It was made out of old wood, and the chair creaked when Lily sat in it, but it was comfortable nonetheless. When she had set her bag down on the tablecloth, she looked back at the men. Sirius was behind the counter pouring some tea, and Remus was next to him scribbling something down on a pad of paper. Peter had disappeared, probably into the back room. James was still in the center of the room, watching her with curiosity in his gaze. Lily found herself fidgeting with the tablecloth but she met his gaze proudly.

"So…" She started. "This is a pretty nice café."

James's laugh was deep and rumbling. He edged a little closer to the table and sat down in the chair opposite her. He looked like he was about to say something but Sirius beat him to it.

"I wanted to open a pub but Moony wouldn't let me." Sirius got a dreamy look in his eye and leaned against the counter, resting his head in one hand. "I would have called it the Marauders Pub. Anyways, James was the one who suggested this."

James's cheekbones got a hint of color to them. "Y-Yeah. Not much of a gang hideout, eh? But something's gotta pay the bills, and you know what they say about crime."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Crime doesn't pay?"

"Exactly!" James grinned cheekily.

"But… why a café? And why here?"

"Um… long story as to how we all met. Kinda weird. But I guess we all just like coffee, and in cafés you meet a lot of cool people." He paused and gave her a meaningful look. "Believe it or not, we do get a lot of business here. It's sort of one of those artsy-farts communities that hates capitalism and stuff, so an independently-owned coffee shop is pretty welcome here. And besides, Moony does make killer scones."

Sirius ambled over to the table and set down a cup of tea and a plate of scones. Lily could have sworn he winked at her but he was gone the next second.

"I'll take you word for it," she said, but curiosity won out in the end and she took one. It was good, but she felt a little awkward eating under James's scrutiny. She was filled with relief when Remus came over with the directions.

"I think these are pretty thorough, but you might want to catch a bus once you get farther uptown. It's a long walk."

Lily accepted the sheet of paper gratefully and slipped it into her bag. She was about to thank them when realization hit her. "I… I don't have any money. I left my wallet with my friend."

She put her hand to her forehead and sighed. Now she couldn't even pay them for the tea, never mind the bus fare.

A clattering noise caught her attention and she looked up to see James placing a large number of coins on the table.

"Is that enough for the bus?"

Lily made a quick calculation in her head and nodded.

"But… the tea. I won't be able to pay for it."

James shrugged and grinned. "You'll just have to come back sometime."

Remus sighed and nodded. "We would love to see you again, you're excellent company. But you'd better hurry, it will be dark soon and I don't think you want to ride the bus in the dark."

Lily smiled and took his hands. He looked a little surprised by the gesture but smiled back at her anyway. "Thank you Remus. Thanks, James. I'll definitely come back, I won't forget this!"

She hurried to the door and waved to Sirius, who waved back. She was about to leave when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned around and saw James. He looked strangely smug, even in the dark light of the hallway.

"You're kind of a strange girl, you know, Evans?"

Lily opened her mouth in shock. "How did you—"

He pointed down at her bag where her full name was embroidered in curly script. She scowled.

"You're pretty strange yourself."

She was out the door in a flash, only just restraining the urge to slam it. She barely heard his reply.

"That's what I like to hear."

**End Chapter One**

**A/N:** James you're so creepy!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I had been trying to get through the whole story without breaks but… no such luck. I broke down halfway through this chapter.

**Misdirected Energy**

**Chapter Two**

Lily found herself a seat on the bus and sat down, angrily picking at the embroidery on her bag. _Stupid James_, she thought. _I'll show him._ _See if I ever go back_ there.

She found her thoughts slipping back to Remus, though, and his kind smile and sorrowful eyes. There was a story there, maybe even a mystery, and Lily could never resist a mystery. She wanted to know more about the young man with the scars. Even Sirius had seemed nice, though that Peter guy…

Lily shivered and rubbed her arms to get rid of the goosebumps that formed there. Sure it was summer, but did the bus have to blast the air conditioner _that_ much?

The anger she felt at James was soon replaced with fear as the bus neared the stop for Spinner's End. Her parents were going to ground her for sure, even if she _was_ the favorite child. Petunia had probably fed them all sorts of lies about what she had been doing out. She felt a little pitiful… here she was at nineteen and she was still living under the thumb of her older sister.

Lily had thought about moving out often. Sev had his own place, and he seemed to be doing just fine.

She resolved to ask him how he got his own place in the morning. For now, she needed to figure out how she would explain being this late to her parents.

She knocked on the door of her house—the house she had lived in all her life—and waited for someone to answer, praying that it wouldn't be Petunia.

When the door opened, she heard a scoff, and immediately cursed her bad luck.

"Look what the cat dragged in," she heard her sister say, but she was too busy staring up at the dark night sky and cursing the heavens. "I told mom and dad you were out with that boy."

"I _was_ out with Severus but we got separated. I got lost downtown so it took me a while to get back." She felt a crick in her neck and lowered it to face her sister. "Can I come in now?"

Petunia sniffed loudly but opened the door anyways to let Lily in. "Vernon's here. He's staying for dinner… It should be ready soon. You'd better clean yourself up." She reached out and grabbed Lily's arm tightly. "You'd better not embarrass me."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Lily replied, brushing off her sister's hand and heading for the stairs.

Dinner was her mother's famous meat pie with mashed taters and green beans. All it took was one whiff of the stuff and Lily scrunched up her nose in disgust. This was her least favorite meal, even though she had practically grown up on the stuff.

Of course, looking over at Petunia, she could tell her sister was delighted. It was obvious why her mother had prepared this dish—not only was it her eldest daughter's favorite, but it would also impress her soon-to-be son-in-law.

Lily looked over at Vernon with as much contempt as she held for the meat pie. The man certainly couldn't have been more perfect for Petunia; he was fat, lazy, and mean. Petunia was a lanky busy body, but at least they would have one trait in common.

Still, looking over at her sister and new brother-in-law clasp hands under the table, Lily felt something constrict in her chest. She passed it off as heartburn from the meat pie and her sister's disgusting lovey-dovey façade, but she had never been good at denial.

Even at nineteen, she had never had a solid boyfriend. Flings? Sure. Random boys who flirted with her at parties? Absolutely. But nothing went beyond a few stolen kisses and silly words.

As Lily pushed the green beans around on her plate, she thought back to Remus and his pretty eyes and light brown hair. She tried to imagine herself holding hands with him while eating her favorite meal, or maybe going to the movies with him. But for some reason instead of light brown eyes the eyes were dark and glinting with mischief behind glasses, and the hair was messy rather than neat and far too black.

She felt something in her stomach twist and pushed her plate away. "Mum, may I be excused? I'm not feeling very well."

Her mother nodded but gave her a look that said _we're going to have a long talk later_. Lily didn't even care. She just wanted to get out of that room.

* * *

Two days. Two days she had not left the house. Two days down of her parent-inflicted exile, two more days to go. And she had gotten off easy.

At least she was allowed to phone her friends and reassure them she was okay. Sev had practically been beside himself with relief and he hadn't bothered to hide it when she had called. Lily smiled into her pillow. It was nice to have him as such a great friend.

She had managed to slip a few hints about finding a new place to Sev in between his mother hen rants. He had agreed that the next time they saw each other he would give her some advice.

Lily pushed some of her red hair out of her face and nuzzled deeper into the soft fabric of the pillow. Something had been wrong in the conversation, but she couldn't figure out what.

_You could stay with me_ was what Sev had said. Lily had certainly considered that option but… Sev was a guy. And even if that made him her best guy friend it was still weird. Girls didn't normally stay with their guy friends, right? It just… wasn't done.

Even if the relationship was completely platonic, things were bound to get weird, right? Right.

Lily sighed and got up, slipping on some sandals and a light sweater. Her whole body itched to get out of the house.

And back to that coffee shop. Lily felt drawn to it for some reason. She repeatedly told herself that reason had nothing to do with the men that worked there.

It wasn't necessarily true, but still, there was some sort of connecting line between her and the café she just couldn't ignore.

A few months back, she would have said if she was connected to anything at all in this world, it would be Sev. And now look how quickly that had changed.

Lily snuck downstairs. She saw Petunia curled up against Vernon on the couch, watching some weird animal documentary. They were both asleep. Lily felt that pang in her chest again and turned away.

Good, so she would be able to sneak away. Her parents were away on business for the night, and they had left Petunia in charge. Petunia wasn't likely to go to her room and check on her, so she was probably good for at least a few hours.

Lily told herself it was enough time.

The bus ride took a little longer than the one home had, because Lily had not taken into account the traffic that clogged the roads heading into the city. Still, she had taken enough money with her that she had more than enough for the bus ride there and back and enough to pay back James for the tea and bus fare.

Wait. That was wrong. She was paying _Remus_ for the tea because he was the one who had been thoughtful enough to give it to her, and he probably had something to do with James's surprising chivalry.

Yes. That was it. She was only even going back to see Remus anyways. And Sirius too, since he hadn't done anything to invoke her anger yet.

She could only hope that James wouldn't be so smug from the start.

But even as she settled down into her seat on the bus and stared out unblinkingly at the other cars, she knew that just wasn't going to be the case.

* * *

Lily scrunched her nose up and thought.

Surely she had passed that tattoo parlor before. It had the same sign and everything. Maybe it was a chain?

Lily raised her eyes heavenwards and paused in her aimless wandering.

_Okay, Evans. Think rationally. One question at a time, one answer at a time. Are you lost?_

"Yes," she said out loud at the blue sky, not caring who heard.

_Can you see anything familiar?_

Lily lowered her head and looked around. She'd already passed Dartmouth Street twice, now that she thought about it. How had she not noticed sooner? But where…

A sudden movement down an alleyway caught her attention and she panicked. She thought back to all the horrible news stories she'd ever heard about what happened to young girls in the _downtown _downtown parts of the city, no matter if it was broad daylight or not.

She felt something drawing her nearer to the alley, despite the frantic thoughts that were in her head. It was as if her feet were no longer receiving any rational orders from her brain.

Then she saw the man in the alley, and her eyes widened in shock. "Peter?"

Sure enough, the stocky man turned his head in acknowledgment to his name, and he almost dropped whatever it was he was carrying.

"Oh, I almost didn't recognize… you." He said, his eyebrows lowered with confusion.

"Uh…" Lily said, because really, what else could she say? "I… I'm lost again."

She flushed a little at how stupid she sounded, but Peter didn't laugh. In fact, he looked as though he didn't know how to react at all.

"I was on my way to the café again but I couldn't find it."

Peter turned to face her completely. "Really? Why'd you want to go back there?"

Lily opened her mouth to reply, before closing it again. She had had so many reasons but now… they all seemed a little ridiculous.

"I had to pay you back. For the tea and the bus fare." She pointedly left out _who_ she was paying back, but she doubted that Peter noticed.

"Oh, sure. I can show you where it is." He moved a little out of the alleyway and pointed down in the direction Lily had come from. "Go back down at least two blocks and turn right. It's a few stores down, but you should recognize it."

Lily nodded because she distinctly remembered going down that way before. She turned back to Peter and saw him turning away. "Aren't you coming too?"

He stiffened and turned around only barely. "Uh, no. I need to take care of a few things first."

Lily frowned and shrugged. "Uh, okay then. Bye."

Peter didn't reply, instead trudging off deeper into the alley until he faded into the dark. Lily stared after him in confusion before heading in the direction he had pointed out.

She was about to knock on the door to the café when it occurred to her how suspicious Peter had been acting. All thoughts frantically scattered, however, when the door opened and her fist crashed into something soft.

"Ouch!" Came a deep voice that sounded more surprised than hurt. Lily caught a glimpse of dark eyes glinting behind glasses in the dim light of the hallway. "I didn't think you'd still be _that_ mad at me."

Lily thought about apologizing, she really did. But her eyes landed on a white card safety-pinned to James's dark sweater, and she was able to make out the lettering even with the bad lighting. A grin lit up her face.

"You thought wrong, _Potter._"

He blinked at her, but the smug grin returned shortly. "And here I'd told Remus the nametags were a bad idea."

Lily couldn't help but feel she'd lost her footing somewhere in this relationship as she followed him down the hallway and into the bright light.

**End Chapter Two**

A/N: The lack of most of the Marauders in this chapter is because it's a sin to not ship Petunia/Vernon.

Also, sneaky Peter is sneaky.

Please review.


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